Printing-form



J. R. ROGERS.

PRINTING FORM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-12,1916.

1533,5338. Patented Mar. 16,1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

- W ATTOR 5V6 J. R. ROGERS.

PRINTING FORM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC- 12, 1915. 1,333,938. Patented Mar. 1&1920.

2 SHEETS- EEEEE 2- my. ml, mum;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN R. ROGERS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO MERGENTHALER LINOTYPE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PRINTING-FORM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 16, 1920.

Application filed December 12, 1916. Serial No. 136,406.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN R. ROGERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Printin Forms, of which the following is a speci cation, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

Myinvention has reference to the production of what is technically known as linotype rule and figure matter, that is to say, printing forms composed of. horizontally disposed slugs or linotypes whereon columns of figures or other characters appear with transverse rule's between them. These tabular forms have been produced in various ways. One method was to provide the slugswith relatively deep transverse slots or notches and insert therein flat metal strips in the form of printing rules. Tabular forms prepared according to this practice not only require the use of special molds and matrices, but they are also open to the objection that the rules are not positively confined in place and may therefore become displaced. In an effort to cure this latter objection, it has been proposed to employ a triangular printing rule. and to cast the slugs with dovetail notches to receive it. The casting of slugs with such dovetail notches presented further difficulties, and there was then developed another form of slug which was cast with a pair of thin upstanding projections adapted to be bent over upon the inclined faces of the triangular rule when inserted therebetween. V This last practice has also proved to be objectionable, not only because of the difficulty of casting slugs with such thin projections, but in addition because they often break off when bent over, due to the brittle and non-malleable character of the type metal employed.

Furthermore, in casting the projections, the

figure matter cannot be located in as close proximity to the rules as in some'instances might be desired.

My present invention is intended to overcome the above and other objections existing in the old practices, and contemplates a new produce two or more of the slugs for the printing form with plain or straight-Walled notches located in different relative longitudinal positions, and then, after inserting the rule in thenotches, to shift the slugs longitudinally relatively to each other to clamp or bind the rule in position, as will be more fully pointed out in the detailed description to follow.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown my invention in preferred form and by way of example, but it will be understood that it is'capable of embodiment in other fornis which will still be comprised within its spirit. Generally speaking, I desire it to be understood that I do not limit myself to any specific form or embodiment, except in so far as specified in-the appended claims. V

Referring to the drawings:

Figurel illustrates a top plan view of a printing form prepared in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the printing form ready to be locked up;

Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged sections taken on the lines 33 of Fig. 2 ands-41 of Fig. 1, respectively;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged View illustrating the relative positions of two differently notched slugs before and after shifting;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of a triangular printing rule; and

Fig. 7 illustrates the use of a flat straight-sided rule. I

As shown in Fig. l, the completed printing form comprises a series of type bars or slugs A bearing on their upper edges figures or type characters A arranged in columns and formed with rows of straight-walled notches or recesses A (see Fig. 4') wherein are located triangular-shaped printing rules B disposed between the columns of figures or type characters. The slugs, as illustrated, are assembled side by side and locked up in the customary chase C having the furniture or compressing member C In preparing the form, I propose to produce the slugs therefor in two sets, those of both sets being of the same length but having the notches or recesses A offset or 10- cated in different relative longitudinal positions in the respective sets, then to assemble the slugs of both sets side by side in alternation with their notches or recesses in transverse alinement and insert the print ing rule therein, and thereafter to shift the slugs of one set longitudinally with reference to those of the other set to cause the opposite side walls of the notches or recesses to bind or clamp the printing rule therebetween. 7

As to the first step, the slugs may be produced in any desired manner, but I prefer to cast them directly in the linotype n'iachine with the rule-holding notches or recesses in the difierent required positions. This may be effected in a variety of ways, and in my Patent No. 1,259,671 I have disclosed a form of mechanism that may be made use of, if desired. While preferable, it is not essential that the slugs comprising the printing form should be cast successively with differently located rule-holding notches, as herein illustrated, as the only requirement is that the notches of at least two of the slugs be thus disposed, so that the use of the expression sets is not intended to impose any other limitation in this respect. It is also explained that in practice the difference in location betweenthe rule-holding notches of the two sets may be and preferably is but a few thousandths of an inch. By reason of this small dimension, the relative shifting of the slugs, although entirely 'suflicient for the intended purpose, will not interfere with the printing alinement to any appreciable extent,and practically to no extent if the slugs are produced by means of the mechanism disclosed in the above-mentioned patent.

hen the slugs thus produced are properly assembled and the printing rule inserted, in accordance with the second step of my method, they are in the condition indicated inFigs. 2 and 3, where it will be seen that, due to the ofi'-setting or the dif ferent locations of the notches or recesses, the opposite ends of the slugs of the two sets are unevenly disposed. In other words, when .the slugs are assembled in this manner, their notches or recesses, being alike, are in alinement, while their body portions, being of the same length, are out of alinement. It will be understood that the notches may be alinedin any desired manner, for instance, by the rule itself before or during insertion,or they may first be alined by some other means and the rule inserted subsequently. The alternate arrangement of the slugs of the two setswill be taken care of during casting, althoughno particular order is necessary.

With the slugs in the condition. last described, the third step of my'improved method is ready to berperformed, namely,

. shifting the slugs of the two sets longitudinally relatively to each other. T his may be effected in any suitable manner, and either before or after the slugs are put into'the relative shifting of the slugs.

chase G. In the present instance, I rely upon the locking up of the form in the chase to effect the shifting of the slugs. Thus, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, before the form is locked up, the slugs of one set project slightly beyond those of the other, and consequently, when the furniture or member C is moved to the left in the locking up process the protruding slugs are shifted therewith and evened up with the other 7 slugs. This relative shifting of the slugs of the two sets places their rule-holding notches out of registry and causes the sharp or beveled edges of the triangular printing rules B to penetrate or embed themselves in the opposite side Walle thereof, as indicated in Fig. 4. This action is better illus-' trated in Fig. 5, which shows the parts considerably magnified. In the upper part of the figure, slugs of the two sets are'shown with their notches A in alinement and with the rules B resting freely therein; and in the lower part, the two slugs are shown in the shifted relation and as they appear in the locked-up printing form, it being noted that the notches A are now out of aline- 31161113 and that the rules Bare shifted somet'ively opposed upstanding shoulders between which the printing rules are'inserted and into which they embed themselves as the slugs are shiftedrela-tively to each other,

this action being due, of course, to the fact that the width of the space between the up standing shoulders is reduced or made less than the width of the printing rule by such It will be seen, "therefore, that my invention would still be realized by castingthe dilferent slugs with such upstanding shoulders, as 1 10 distinguished from the double side wall notches A Prepared in accordance with the foregoing method, the completed printing fornr shown in Fig. 1 thus comprises two sets of slugs formed with notches or recesses in 7 their printing edges and a printing rule located therein, the slugs of one set having their notches .out of registry with those of the'other, and the, rule penetrating or embedded in the opposite side walls of flthe notches of the respective sets.

In Fig. 7 a printing rule D of the flat or straight sided variety is shown located in the notches A of the slugs. The slugs are produced as before describedand are manipulated in the same way in preparing the form. The only difference arising in the use offt his modified nform, ofrule is that, when the slugs ofthe two sets are shifted endwise relatively to each other, the rule slugs employed are cast in a mold of standard construction and form a set of ordinary matrices, the rule-holding notches being produced by means of plain or blank matrices. This is advantageous in that it allows the desired printing forms to be prepared in any of the commercial machines and without the use of special parts. However, it is pointed out that the invention is equally applicable to other constructions,for instance, such as that shown in my previous Letters Patent No. 791,165, wherein a narrow mold and deep slotted matrices are employed in the casting of the slugs. If the latter construc tion were employed, the rule-holding notches would be considerably deeper than those produced by the standard parts, in connection with which my invention has been described. It may here be explained that the actual depth of the rule notches illustrated is only .043 of an inch, which measurement likewise indicates the height of the printing rule employed.

The foregoing will serve to illustrate the underlying principles of my invention, and it will be manifest that many changes and variations therein may be made without departure from its scope. Thus, the form of the notches A or the upstanding shoulders which they provide may be altered, as well as the form of the printing member, which, instead of a straight printing rule, may be a printing plate or the like. These and other variations will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

It is pointed out that the relative shifting of the slugs contemplated by my invention is not such shifting as might be permitted on account of any imperfections arising from the casting of the slugs, due for instance to the contraction of the type metal or to the difiiculty of locating the rule holding notches in mathematically exact locations on the slugs, or to any other accidental conditions that may arise; but on the contrary, the relative shifting herein described and claimed is entirely independent of and additional to such accidental shifting as may take place in the use of slugs as ordinarily cast. My present invention is directed to the production of slugs in two distince sets with the rule holding notches definitely and predeterminately located in different relative longitudinal positions on the slugs, so that in all cases and under any circumstances,

when the printing rule is inserted in such notches, the slugs of the respective sets will be required to be shifted relatively to each other to make up the completed printing form, and by such relative shifting cause the notches of the two sets to be shifted out of registry with each other or displaced so as to bind or clamp the printing rule therein definitely and with certainty and in no haphazard manner. form is thus radically distinguished from the prior art, wherein any possible shifting of the slugs is entirely accidental and unintended.

Having thus described my invention, its construction and mode of operation, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. A printing form comprising a series of integral slugs arranged side by side and formed with notches or recesses in their printing edges, and a printing member lo- My improved printing correspondingly definite and predetermined extent, whereby the engagement of the opposite walls of said notches with the opposite edges of the printing member locks said member in place positively and with certainty, and such engagement serving as the sole means for permanently fastening the printing member in the completed printing form.

2. A printing form comprising a series of integral slugs arranged side by side and formed with notches or recesses in their printing edges, and a printing member located in said notches and having sharpened portions penetrating or embedded in the opposite side walls of the notches of two or more of the slugs, and said slugs having their notches definitely and predeterminately located in different relative longitudinal positions thereon and shifted out of registry with each other to a correspondingly definite and predetermined extent to permit and to effect such penetrating and embedding action of the printing member,

whereby said printing member is locked in place positively and with certainty by the unfailing penetration of its sharpened portions in the opposite walls of the slug notches, and such penetration serving as the sole means for permanently fastening said printing member in the completed printing form. V V

3. A printing form comprising two sets of integral slugs arranged side by side in alternation and formed with notches or recesses in their printing edges, and a printing member located in said notches, the said notches being definitely and predeterminately located in different relative longitudinal positions on the slugs of the respective sets and shifted out of registry with each other to a correspondingly definite'and redetermined extent 'WllGlQb the en agement of the opposite walls of the notches oi each two adjoining slugs with the opposite edges of theprinting member locks said member in place positively and with certainty throughout the length thereof, and such engagement serving as the sole means for permanently fastening the printing member in the completed printing form.

4. A printing form comprising two sets of integral slugs arranged side by side in alternation and formed with notches or recesses in their printing edges, and a printcated in difierent relative longitudinal po- 7 sitions on the slugs of the respective sets and shifted out of registry with each other to a v correspondingly definite and predetermined extent to permit and to effect the penetrating and embedding action of the printing member throughout the length thereof, whereby said printing member is locked in place positively and with certainty by the unfailing penetration of its sharpened portions in the opposite side walls of the notches of each two adjoining slugs, and such penetration serving as the sole means for permanently fastening the printing member in the completed printing form. V V

5. A printing form as specified in either of claims 2 or 4, characterized by the fact that the printing member therein referred to is triangular in cross section.

6. A printing form as specified in either of the foregoing claims, characterized by the fact that the side walls of the notches which engage the printing member bear printing characters; whereby the member and print- .ing characters are brought into immediate juxtaposition.

'In testlmony whereo't, I lltWQ ailixed my slgnature.

Jonnlngnoenns. 

